LEAN Construction
Creating a Culture of Collaboration
& Maximizing Value
Creating a Culture of Collaboration is the Key to Better Outcomes
When a real property owner displays leadership and adopts a more open, collaborative model by assuring early information sharing among all participants and stakeholders, incentivizing via shared risk/reward, and providing technical and cost transparency via a locally researched unit price book, they are creating a culture change. A culture change capable of leveraging robust LEAN collaborative construction services procurement and delivery methods.
Two such LEAN methods, with proven track records of over thirty (30) years are Integrated Project Delivery, for major new construction, and Job Order Contracting, JOC, for repair, renovation, maintenance, sustainability, and minor new construction. Both consistently deliver quality, on-time, and on-budget projects in lieu of the industry status quo of waste and discord.
It’s important to understand that culture change is a journey. One with multiple waypoints. In the case of Job Order Contracting, for example, a real property owners might first begin to leverage the process via a Cooperative Services Organization that provides access to LEAN construction services. For owners that what to set up their own internal Job Order Contracting Program, the use of a facilitator, such a a JOC Consultant to help the understand and develop requirements may be appropriate. In the latter case, however, it is critical the the JOC Consultant not “manage” the JOC Program. The role of a JOC Consultant should remain that of mentor/coach. The direct interaction between owner and contractors can not be “filtered” when LEAN is involved.
For owners that what to set up their own internal Job Order Contracting Program, the use of a facilitator, such a a JOC Consultant to help the understand and develop requirements may be appropriate. In the latter case, however, it is critical the the JOC Consultant not “manage” the JOC Program. The role of a JOC Consultant should remain that of mentor/coach. The direct interaction between owner and contractors can not be “filtered” when LEAN is involved.
LEAN procurement and construction delivery methods significantly change behaviors and continuous improvement is a hallmark. JOC, for example, take more than simply implementing a few best management practices. JOC is fundamental change in how people treat each other. Mutual trust and respect is a given. Seeking information from all parties, especially those that actually do the work is a daily activity. Results gradually improve as teams relearn how to work together on subsequent projects and continue to improve.
Once internal and external teams adopt the behaviors associated with LEAN procurement and construction delivery methods, the result is lower costs, higher efficiency, and smoother workflows.
Organizations that are willing to make the commitment to try new things and follow through succeed in the evolution to LEAN.
